FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 18T 



as not to hill or ridge up, but leave the ground as nearly level as possible, 

 and fine and mellow at all times. The cultivator should be started as 

 soon after a rain as the ground will permit, so as to keep any crust from 

 forming, and to save all the moisture possible. Wide tools should be used 

 so the ground can be gotten over in a hurry. The rows should be the 

 same distance apart at all places, so once in a row with a cultivator will 

 be sufficient to stir all the soil. We have a board attached to the rear 

 tooth of our cultivator that smooths out all the marks of the teeth and 

 leaves the ground perfectly smooth and level. There is nothing but my 

 footprints to be seen behind the cultivator. 



Cultivation should be kept up as long as it is possible to get through 

 the vines without injury. We went through ours last year after the 

 vines began to die. This did the potatoes no particular good as I know 

 of, but it kept the weeds down so that at digging time I could carry all 

 the weeds on five acres in one hand. No weed should be allowed to grow, 

 for at this time of the year the potato needs all the moisture. It takes 

 about 300 pounds of moisture to make a single pound of dry weeds, so 

 you that let weeds grow can see how much you are robbing your crops. 



HARVESTING. 



W^e use potato boxes holding a bushel, the size of which is, inside meas- 

 ure, 16 inches long, 1.3 inches high and 13 inches wide. 



These boxes can be easily made out of any strips that may be found 

 around the farm. Can be made on rainy days, and come handy for many 

 things during the year. 



The potatoes are picked up as fast as dug and drawn directly to the 

 cellar. 



VARIETIES. 



As to varieties, every one has his choice and claims it to be the best. 



I think the reason for this is, that the same variety won't do so well 

 in one locality as another. What might be good for my soil would not be 

 good for another. Seed should be well kept and not allowed to sprout 

 before planting. This can be done by burying them, and after the pits 

 are well frozen to cover them with coarse manure or straw to keep the 

 pit from thawing. If properly done, potatoes in this latitude can be kept 

 until the first of June without damage from sprouting. 



SCAB. 



I don't think there is any question that the treatment for scab is a 

 benefit, but my potatoes do not scab very bad. I have planted very 

 scabby seed, and have got smooth potatoes. I have been sometimes 

 almost sceptical with regard to this treatment, but we have such good 

 authority on the subject that I don't feel like condemning it. 



BUGS. 



In taking care of the bugs we generally use Paris green. Sometimes 

 we bug by catching them in pans with handles on, so we don't have to 

 stoop. This is a good way for patches up to three or four acres. I can 



